News
New Final Fantasy XIII Trailer Actually Shows Gameplay
Also Features Guns, Ships, and Japanese
by Sarah
Well, what do we have here? It seems like Square Enix has finally gotten around to releasing a Final Fantasy XIII trailer that actually has some gameplay footage. By now, many people are over the FFXIII hype machine, either sick of the franchise (or Square Enix itself), or—like me—remaining cautiously optimistic, but not too eager, because the game is still a long way off. For the people who still care about Final Fantasy (and yes, I definitely include myself in this bunch, even if it seems otherwise), I hope you enjoy the new trailer.
I can pretty much already tell you that if you hated the direction Final Fantasy XII took with the new battle system, you’re probably going to hate this one even more. I’m willing to give it a chance, because I did like the strategy of FFXII’s combat, but I wouldn’t complain about seeing something more traditional (read: turn-based). There are parts of the trailer where it doesn’t look at all like a Final Fantasy game, at least in the conventional sense, and Final Fantasy fanatics are not customarily fans of change. Then again, many critics and gamers grew to love the direction that Final Fantasy XII took, myself included.
My main concern is whether or not we are going to feel emotionally attached to the characters in any way. As much as I enjoyed the 90 hours I put into FFXII, it never really captured my heart the same way that the characters from some of the previous Final Fantasy games did. There weren’t many memorable, heart-wrenching, seriously emotional moments, and that’s sort of what I expect from this series. Also on my wish list is a killer story, which should go hand-in-hand with great characterization. Right now, I would say I’m not being pessimistic or overly excited. I’m just waiting and hoping.
That said, none of this matters, because I’ll be buying this game in 2010, 2011, 2015, or whenever Square Enix finally gets around to releasing it. Maybe I’m a hopeless fangirl, but this series has given me hundreds of hours of gameplay pleasure over the last 12 years of my life; I’m not about to give up on it now.
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Comments
gameplay looks fun i guess, though i was not too impressed yet. None of the characters look like ones i might really attach to and the gameplay looks like it might be fun, but so did XII. Really i just want a story i can get attached to and characters i like, thats what went wrong with XII, i didn't care too much for the story and none of the characters, outside Balthier (spelling?) really connected with me. Need a love story too, sorry but its not FF without a love story
I think this trailer looks awesome. Animations and character models looked hella nice, everything was smooth, and I personally was a fan of the last battle system. I mean, c'mon, it was the same active battle system we've always had, but now you can move around. What's to hate?
I think the reason it was harder to attach to the characters in the more recent games is because the stories have become a little more sold, less melodramatic.
Voyou, love stories are nice, but the last game had such an epic feel, and I felt the world had a much more realized sensibility.
Also, who didn't get excited at that train scene? Can we not all agree that it calls to mind memories of Midgar?
You make some really good points, Raccoonacorn. Thinking back, I remember walking around the cities of Ivalice in FFXII and thinking "Holy shit--these are huge and there's so much here!" It did make the world feel epic. And it's not like I hated the characters, I just didn't find them as memorable as some in previous installments.
It's not like I want soap opera-esque melodrama, but I don't think there's anything wrong with having an emotional story. FFXII was more political than personal, which was an adjustment.
I guess it's all about balance--creating an epic world with memorable characters and a great story to tie it all together. Let's hope this game will do that.
I remember reading the combat system was to create epic battles like out of Advent Children. It looks like epic battles out of Streets of Rage to me. We'll see...
i'd like to watch someone play it. I love watching people play those FF games (because i'm too bad at playing them for myself)
if i wanted an all political plot i would watch the news at night. XII had just way too much of a serious, political tone and thats fine but to me balance it out atleast with some melodrama and some love in the air or something, maybe a few nutty characters with some fun personalities, which i only remember one in XII. I don't know, i just couldnt get attached to the game, i tried and played maybe halfway through and then put it back on the shelf and played Tales of the Abyss (ZOMG LOVE)
What the hell? It's in Spanish????
JK, heh.
Sarah, I LOVED the way the world felt in XII, for the first time a FF word's scale felt realistic. Would have been better if there was a bit more interaction with the NPCs or the environment though but still, it was a huge step in the right direction.
Voyou, I loved XII's plot. It felt more "grown up" than past FFs, it was refreshing. The problem wasn't the story or characters though. The real problem was the pacing was way off. Had there been more frequent cut-scenes and dialogue between the characters, it would have been the greatest FF ever.
As it is, the characters were pretty compelling and felt very fleshed out, it was all just a bit too subtle (sometimes vague) from a story telling perspective.
I mean blink (or look away for a minute while your wife is nagging about something) and you'd miss that Reks was Vaan's brother until you replayed it, lol. Um, not me - a friend of mine. Ahem.
Again, why do all the characters look like super models?
What happened to characters like Yang, Tellah, Barrett, Auron?
Tired of all the pretty boys in mah RPGs!!! (Don't mind the girls though :) )
JK, the girls too. Make some realistic looking characters. Don't know how they keep their hair so perfect with all the fighting they do.
I dont play FF, but all my friends do, and to be honest I haven't seen anything graphically that has looked fresh or new in the trailers since 10. Yeah they changed the combat which from what it sounds like was not the best idea with hardcore fans, but the character all look the same with different clothes. Then again I dont play FF at all. I do respect the franchise though.
I am pretty sure this is when I am going to put my foot down and not buy this game just because it has the words final and fantasy in it. I cannot deny my love and appreciation for previous iterations, but the franchise like myself have grown in the past few years and their new direction is not a path I wish to travel. 12 was not at all endearing to me... I probably gave up on it sooner than I should have, but I didn't see a reason not to. The colors were all washed out much like the characters, with the exception of Balthier. I agree with Voyou that a love story is a great way to engage the gamer, and another absense i did not enjoy with 12. The battle system was not for me, and this trailer is not at all making me salivate. I'm sure this will have a fanbase, and i am sure there are going to be great aspects of this game, i just think they will not be things i know first hand whenever this finally does get released.
All the dude in the trench coat needs is a crucial tattoo and we have Zell from FF8 back. I like where this is going. I have patience. Only buying it on PS3, though.
I hear what u r saying Bananasaur, but I can't walk away. I'm addicted and this game looks way to awesome for me to even think about shaking my FF habit now. I need an intervention.
I like how you think, disentionX. I also like the pic from the upcoming Terminator: Salvation movie on your page.
I'm with you, disentionX. Now, if for some reason this game completely disappoints, then maybe it will be time for me to walk away, but that hasn't happened to me yet. And even though XII wasn't my favorite in the series, I still loved it. Actually I kind of want to play it again now after all of this talk. And Fran was kick ass.
So in closing... what was I talking about? I don't know. Final Fantasy. I'm in. Yay.
this has to be better than XII though, i am with banana, if this is more or less a XII clone, then i will not be picking it up and will hope that Versus XIII will be the game i want. I do have more faith though in Versus than XIII, maybe its because i LOVED Advent Children and i really enjoyed the kingdom hearts series.
I don't know, the fighting so far in this game does not look that bad, but if the story is as uninteresting as XII then no thanks. I am a HUGE FF fanboy, i have loved all the games (cept 9 and 12) and to be honest my favorite was actually X, sorry i am a sucker for a love story, it keeps me drawn in, it keeps me wanting to see more. When XII decided to leave that out and go all serious on me, i was left thinking "Why so serious?". I do not want an all political, life or death game from FF, that is not what i have become accustomed to. I want a melodramatic love story game with quirky characters and a fun vibrant world.
Also, XII lost a lot of its appeal because it did not have a clear cut main character. In most all of the FF games, you have had that clear cut main guy, Cloud, Tidus, Squall, Zidane, etc. Who did XII have, Vaan? I mean there was no real emphasis on a main character and Square Enix even said they didn't want to focus solely on one character and i think that was a mistake. FF games have always centered around one character with a strong supporting cast built around that character. XII kind of changed that formula a bit for me and atleast IMO it hurt XII. I guess i just want a main character to grasp to, kind of form a bond with or atleast be able to stand.
wow i have ranted..
Bananasaur, it's funny you say this: "but the franchise like myself have grown in the past few years and their new direction is not a path I wish to travel."
FF XII was the most mature FF yet and for once I felt they were making a game with older players in mind. I'm not 15 anymore, I want more mature themes. Not that past FF games haven't had mature themes but I want them presented in a way that doesn't insult my intelligence or my maturity level.
I hated FF VIII's love theme. Maybe I'm just a grumpy old gamer but I don't need to see the love drama of 2 teens played out. It's always going to be done in an awkward way.
But you didn't give XII a chance I would say. The characters are all very interesting. Again, I blame Square for the way the story was told, not so much for the story itself which was refreshing and actually quite simple.
Each character was pretty deep & compelling - the thing was that Square didn't decide to put the spotlight on any one for a long period of time. Instead it's all very subtle, with one or two lines of dialogue or even a simple action at some point saying a whole lot about each character.
It's like a well acted and directed film where within a minute, one short line of dialogue and an expression or gesture can say more about a character than 40 minutes of exposition.
The problem with XII was that depending on how you played it there was too much "gameplay" time between story points and cut-scenes. They could have handled this better but with the size and scope of the world you can see why they dropped the ball. It WAS the largest FF world ever, probably the largest world in ANY JRPG. Still, a few more cut-scenes would have helped. But I still think the game was brilliant anyway.
i do agree on the time spent between story plots Player.. there was way too much time grinding and whatnot in between story plots so at times it made the story feel very distant.
Sarah, Fran was definitely kick ass! (And Balthier too).
Anyone see the Star Wars parallels though?
Balthier = Han Solo (rogue character)
Fran = Chewbacca (rogue character's loyal non-human (or non-hume) sidekick
Vaan = Luke Skywalker (wants to be a sky pirate/pilot, relatives killed by evil empire)
Plus, both have "evil" empires, villians men in masks, and like in Star Wars, all of the Archadian Empire guards/soldiers, pretty much all of them I think, have British accents :)
Voyou, my fave was probably X also. But to me it was much more than a love story. The real core was religion (and how it divides people). The main character's relationship with his father was also important.
Voyou said, "When XII decided to leave that out and go all serious on me, i was left thinking "Why so serious?". I do not want an all political, life or death game from FF, that is not what i have become accustomed to. I want a melodramatic love story game with quirky characters and a fun vibrant world."
But X was just as serious as XII. Do you recall how many villages were destroyed by Sin? Mass slaughter was never really shown on a FF game before, just mostly implied. The themes were also much heavier and the world was far from vibrant or fun.
It doesn't get much more serious than, "the end of the world" which is what most of the FF games were about. You were always out to save the world. And it never made sense why you and your little band of misfit buddies were "chosen" or left to do it. In XII it all makes sense since the plot has to do with war and politics.
you know though in X it never felt that serious to me. I think the characters and their actions between each other always brought it down a notch for me. I mean yes each game has had a serious overtone, but in the other games i thought the interactions between the characters and how goofy they were at times did such a great job of kind of distracting you from the real issues at hand. Plus X made me cry at the end and thats always a plus, i wanted to keep going with my companions because i really cared for each character, well cept maybe riku.
in XII i never cared for any of them and they interacted well at times together but then most of the time every character felt like they were on seperate islands and the interactions between them was very rare and short when it actually happened